Athletic conditioning is a prerequisite for any kind of competitive athletics. It’s also tons of fun and everybody benefits from staying conditioned. What you might not realize, however, is how easy it is to dive into an athletic conditioning regimen.
Especially in your own home.
While many gyms and fitness studios offer athletic conditioning services or personal trainers through a premium package, you’re dedicating a lot of time and money to your workout.
Whether you pay a chunk sum for a monthly membership or pay for each class, you’re shelling out cash whenever you want to exercise.
Why is this such a big deal?
According to RealBuzz, 80% of American gym membership holders rarely bother to venture to a gym after paying for their membership. Meanwhile, The Oregonian reported that most new gym members are too shy to commit to a regular workout routine.
So non-athletes aren’t getting their workouts (for the money that they’ve paid), while athletes have made a commitment to pay regularly to stay in shape. And you’re here because you want a fantastic workout, right?
When you’re building a workout regimen at a gym, you need to account for the cost of:
- Membership
- Classes
- Time and money spent in commute
- Athletic apparel (and any extra gear)
- Pre-workout
- Protein
- Time spent preparing meals
Athletes and gym rats don’t think about these costs too much, but they add up over time. Now you can understand why so many people are avoiding their workout altogether. I can tell you, with conviction, that VR nails this problem. Here’s how:
Buy VR Once, Get Unlimited Athletic Conditioning Forever
I’m not talking about some Wii Fit knockoff. It’s time to get serious about melting fat and building muscle. Once you’ve purchased your gaming rig and your VR headset, you’re ready. You’ll also need to dedicate a space in your home- shoot for 2×2 meters or larger.
But this is a one-time cost for equipment that you’ll juice loads of utility from. You won’t only use it for working out- you can spend that extra time (because you won’t have a gym commute to worry about) doing anything from simulating a movie theatre to mixing a live music set. And so. Much. More.
You’ll pay a little extra for apps, VR covers, and sweatbands. But once you’ve paid for an app or a piece of equipment, that’s it. You own it.
You might even have a 1-3 year manufacturer’s warranty on each piece of equipment in your rig, in the unlikely event that anything stops working.
But unlike a gym, your VR workout routine contains no:
- Recurring membership fees
- Commutes
- Extra planning
- BS
You’ll get home from work or school, you’ll be at your computer, and you’ll be able to teleport to your workout zone.
Athletic Conditioning Uses Your Entire Body- So Does VR
This is the one disconnect that a lot of people seem to have about VR. Simply watching it on a flat screen, without context, is boring.
In passing, it’s easy to see VR and brush it off.
“That’s cool,” says everybody who places VR in the trash before even picking up a pair of Touch controllers.
Remember- being in VR is being in a physical space. You have a head, and hands, and legs, and other important bits.
On a flat screen, you use your hands for typing and tapping. And that’s about it. But when you’re in VR, you’re using your entire body.
In fact, the only thing that a VR game needs to tear your body apart is repetitive motions. You know what else uses your body like that? The athletic conditioning class that you’re paying to attend per-session.
Here are some examples:
To beat BOXVR’s challenges, you must develop your fitness boxing form. The app guides you while keeping score on your progress. Like a professional coach, BOXVR obsesses over making you do squats and lunges.
The Thrill of the Fight! places you into a simulated boxing ring against a virtual fighter, who can pummel you into a knockout if your (real life) stamina gives out and forces you to lower your hands.
Meanwhile, Beat Saber lets you experience what it’d be like to join a Jedi dance squad.
And unlike the instructor in your athletic conditioning class, VR will never embarrass you for being out of form. You might fail a level but remember- you get a restart button in VR.
You have time to make mistakes, learn and build form in VR that you don’t always get in real life. Which means that, with VR, you learn and grow faster. And- no matter who you are- you are most likely having fun.
Authentic, guilt-free, active fun. Playing video games! Welcome to the VR fitness club.
Conclusion
Athletic conditioning is necessary for everybody and is not exclusive to athletes. Most people tend to think of exercise as being a chore, and in many ways, it can be costly. Too many people fail to launch their athletic conditioning routine, either due to financial or time costs, or simply because they get bored quickly.
That said, the embarrassment of being out of shape stops people from seeking fitness in the first place. But VR provides you with a way to get into shape from home, or anywhere else that you choose to set-up your rig.
Athletes enjoy the ability to scale VR workout intensity to their needs, which keeps them competitive without the monotony of going to a gym. Everybody else benefits from easy access to a real fitness regimen that’s fulfilling and entertaining.
VR is both the gamification of the workout regimen and the first true athleticization of video gaming.
Will you work VR into your athletic conditioning plan? Let us know in the comments.